Join our Team

Employer: Cultivating Connections Montana Status: Part-time, non-exempt (28 hours/week) Schedule: Four 7-hour shifts/week — Mon, Tue or Wed, plus Thu, Fri, and Sat (May–Sept at the Hamilton Farmers Market 7:00 AM–2:00 PM) Compensation: $23 – $25/hour (depending on experience) for 48 weeks/year (approx. $30,912 to $33,600 annually) Location: Homestead Organics Farm campus, 175 Skalkaho Hwy, Hamilton, MT 59840 Reports to: Farm Director To Apply:  Send an email, including phone number, of your intent to apply to Support@CultivatingConnectionsMT.org; from there, an initial phone interview will be scheduled.  

About Cultivating Connections Montana (CCMT)

We build community through food by mentoring youth, strengthening food security, and connecting local producers to neighbors through inclusive, hands-on programs like the Youth Internship, Ladles of Love, MAYDAY! Gardens, Special Abilities Camp, Heritage Skills Workshops, and our Farmstand.  Our mission is to build community through food.  Acting as a catalyst, our goal is to empower youth, grow food, share knowledge, foster well-being, provide mentorship, and bring people together through education, participation, and celebration.

Position Summary

The Youth Intern & Culinary Coordinator leads CCMT’s teen interns in real-world kitchen, market, and farm experiences.  This role blends youth mentorship, kitchen leadership, value‑added food production, farm/greenhouse crew coordination, and community engagement.  You’ll run a safe, welcoming kitchen, guide daily learning and accountability for interns and keep programs on budget and on schedule while capturing stories and data that show impact.  

Key Responsibilities

1) Kitchen Leadership & Value-Added Production

• Food safety: Already be certified or pass a basic food safety exam (e.g., Always Food Safe) within 30 days of employment; continuously teach, model, and uphold safety and sanitation standards; conduct monthly kitchen deep cleans.
• Production management: Plan, cook, and package weekly value‑added foods aligned to seasonal and donated ingredients; supervise Youth Interns in cooking and packaging during intern season; maintain labeling and allergen practices.
• Budget & inventory: Manage a monthly value-added food budget; maintain Farmstand transfer tracking reports; minimize food waste.
• Recipe development: Co‑create, document, and iterate Test Kitchen recipes; maintain standardized recipes (yields, costs, prep steps).
• Procurement: Coordinate pick‑ups of donated foods from local producers; uphold food-safe handling and in-kind donation records.
• Ladles of Love: Prepare recipes & supplies, coordinate community volunteer guests, and ensure a welcoming, inclusive environment.  Host 4 community cooking days per month in spring, fall, and winter; 1 per month in summer.

2) Youth Mentorship & Program Delivery

• Daily practice: Facilitate a brief group launch (expectations, safety, roles) and a short end‑of‑shift reflection (timecard recording, what we learned, what we’d improve).
• 1:1 development: Hold weekly check‑ins with each intern; provide supportive, growth‑oriented feedback (private conversations as needed).
• Team building: Plan and lead weekly group-building and skill‑building activities including outside lecturers when possible; foster a culture of respect, accountability, and joy.
• Recruitment & onboarding: Co‑lead recruitment, interviews, and hiring; coordinate onboarding with administration (onboarding paperwork, policies, safety, schedules); familiarize Youth Intern Handbook and uphold policies with Youth Interns throughout the season.
• Special Abilities Camp: Coordinate and mentor Youth Interns as peer leaders/supports during Special Abilities Camp, modeling inclusion, patience, and adaptive instruction.
• Documentation: Evaluate and facilitate onboarding Confidence and Ability Youth Intern survey, track youth skill progression, hours, certifications, and incident/safety notes (as needed), evaluate and facilitate exiting Confidence and Ability Youth Intern survey.

3) Farm, Greenhouse, & Community Work

• Crew coordination: Coordinate and lead youth in field and greenhouse tasks as directed by Farm Director and Livestock Manager; model safe tool use and farm etiquette.
• Community service projects: Identify, organize, and lead twice‑monthly youth work projects (e.g., Community Garden) in summer and fall.
• Market operations (May–Sept): Set up and run the Hamilton Farmers’ Market CCMT booth with Youth Interns on a rotating basis including teaching and modelling cash handling, customer service, storytelling, merchandising, food samples (when applicable), and community engagement.

4) Storytelling, Outreach, & Partnerships

• Social media: Share 1–2 weekly posts that highlight youth‑made products, farm-to-kitchen stories, and partner donations.
• Partner relations: Maintain friendly, reliable communications with local farmers and partner organizations (e.g., thank-yous).
• Community presence: Represent CCMT with warmth and professionalism at markets and events.

5) Administration, Data, & Compliance

• Data & evaluation: Capture outputs and outcomes (see “Success Metrics”); maintain attendance, production, revenue, and survey data.
• Compliance: Uphold food safety, youth protection, and emergency protocols; complete incident reports when needed.
• Scheduling & logistics: Coordinate intern schedules, volunteer helpers, kitchen calendar, and market preparation; ensure marketing, tools, and ingredients are ready.
• Labeling: Maintain ingredient and allergen labels of all value-added foods.

Success Metrics

• Safety & Compliance: food safety exam completion with passing score; zero critical violations; monthly deep clean completed and logged.
• Production & Budget: Weekly value‑added foods produced within ±5% of weekly budget; minimal waste; labeled and made ready for Farmstand or Farmers’ Market distribution.
• Youth Development: 90%+ intern weekly check‑ins completed; documented skills growth; 85%+ intern retention/attendance.
• Community Impact: Ladles of Love sessions delivered as scheduled; donation pounds and meal outputs tracked and recorded; up to 2 community work projects/month in season.
• Market & Outreach: Consistent Saturday presence (May–Sept); 1 quality social post per week.
• Partnerships: Timely pick‑ups; donor acknowledgments; partner satisfaction (simple documented checks or survey).

Required Qualifications

• Experience working with teens in group settings (teaching, coaching, camp, after‑school, or similar).
• Experience with youth from diverse backgrounds, including neurodivergent youth and young people with special abilities.
• Hands‑on kitchen experience (home chef, commercial, catering, farm‑to‑table, or institutional).
• Able to pass a basic food safety exam within 30 days of hire.
• Strong communication, organization, and group leadership skills.
• Comfort with or willingness to learn how to use spreadsheets and shared drives for schedules, inventories, and tracking (e.g., Google Drive/Sheets).
• Valid driver’s license.
• Agree to Background Check.
• Ability to work Saturdays during market season and lift/move up to 40 lbs.

Preferred Qualifications

• ServSafe Manager or equivalent; allergen awareness.
• Experience with farmers markets, value‑added production, or farm work.
• CPR/First Aid certification.
• Basic design and social media skills (e.g., Canva, Instagram, Facebook).

Work Environment & Physical Demands

• Commercial kitchen, greenhouse/field settings, and community/event sites (including Special Abilities Camp days).
• Standing for extended periods; lifting, bending, carrying; outdoor work in variable weather.
• Occasional evening events; rotating early Saturdays May–Sept for market.

Safety, Equity, & Inclusion

• Adhere to CCMT’s policies, media consent, and mandatory reports.
• Model and cultivate an inclusive, respectful environment for all youth, volunteers, and community members.
• CCMT is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome candidates whose lived experience reflects the communities we serve.